Support Structure

Abstract

An apparatus for 3D printing includes a support configured to support a 3D object to be printed. A material dispensing nozzle is configured to move relative to the support and dispense layers of material from which the 3D object is built. Movement of the material dispensing nozzle is a function of a gap and shell weak spaces between two neighbor layers to be printed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for 3D printing, comprising:
 a support configured to support a 3D object to be printed; and   a material dispensing nozzle configured to move relative to the support and dispense layers of material from which the 3D object is built;   wherein the material dispensing nozzle is constructed and arranged to be moved as a function of gap and shell weak spaces between two neighbor layers to be printed.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a material supply tank adapted to store a pseudoplastic high viscosity solidifying material and a pump configured to agitate and shear thin curable material, to reduce material viscosity and cause the material to flow. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the pump is constructed and arranged to develop a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to cause flow of the pseudoplastic high viscosity solidifying material to the dispensing nozzle, and wherein the higher than atmospheric pressure is from 1.0 bar to 20.0 bar. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an X-Y-Z directional movement unit configured to move the dispensing nozzle in a 3D space. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a processor constructed and arranged to generate from received data, X-Y-Z movement commands and length of strips to be printed one above or below the other in an image-wise manner to resemble a slice of the 3D object. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a processor constructed and arranged such that to enable curing of small elements, the processor is constructed and arranged to move aside a printing head and the dispensing nozzle coupled therewith, to expose the small element to UV radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a material solidification module and a processor, wherein the processor is constructed and arranged to control at least movement of the dispensing nozzle and operation of the material solidification module. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue a command and move aside a printing head and the dispensing nozzle coupled thereto, to expose a fragment of a printed support structure to the material solidification module to cure the support structure in a shell weak space. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a material solidification module configured to solidify the material dispensed. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the material solidification module is one of a group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a processor constructed and arranged to control movement of the dispensing nozzle.